Shelbyville's Harrison Street project moves forward

Last year, the city agreed to transfer a city-owned parking lot to RealAmerica if the company was successful in applying for tax credits for the development. RealAmerica, which also operates Hendricks Pointe Apartments, had plans in 2013 to develop the property but was unable then to receive the tax credits necessary to renovate and build the property.

In 2013, RealAmerica first began talks of tearing down the Harrison Street buildings, which includes the offices of Mario Hayes, a building owned by Aldolfo Lopez and a building owned by Wallien Properties.

Jeff Ryan, of RealAmerica, told The Shelbyville News in 2013 he had hopes to put up low-income and moderate-income senior housing and retail space in the spot.

"We will have some retail spaces facing Harrison Street," he said.

He said that the rest of the ground floor will have resident activity areas. The upstairs will feature housing.

He said the idea came after seniors looking at living in Hendricks Pointe, but were turned away because they couldn't walk up the stairs.

"We've had a significant number of seniors who need that type of housing who can't get up or down the stairs," he said.

While the residents of the new proposed apartment complex will have to travel upstairs, they won't have to take the stairs.

"It'll have an elevator," Ryan said about the planned apartments. "Nobody will have to go up or down the stairs to get to their apartments."

Now they have the credits, and the project is moving forward, although a specific timeline for construction is not in place yet.

"We will have meetings with them in the coming week or so," Mayor Tom DeBaun said.

He said the city has committed $100,000 in racino funds over five years to help with the project.